Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Truckers' strike: Gov't takes legal action against Moyano, fuel shortage reported

CGT leader Hugo Moyano announced that the teamsters’ union has extended the national strike to include all distribution branches, following the Government’s legal action against the union leader and his son Pablo, accusing them of "aggravated threats." Moyano retaliated by calling for a national teamsters' drive and vowed to lead a demonstration to Plaza de Mayo next week.

“Let them press charges against me, there is no problem whatsoever, but starting right now  a general nationwide teamster’s strike begins,” Moyano said during an interview with a cable news channel. "We will march towards Plaza de Mayo and other unions will back us up," he added and assured that "A Government that needs to deploy armed forces to the street is doing something wrong."

The Government pressed charges against Pablo and Hugo Moyano and held them responsible of the consequences of the unjustified strike the teamsters’ union is holding.

The legal action refers to offenses contemplated in articles 149 of the Penal Code as threats and aggravated threats when they aim to obtain a measure or concession on part of either the Executive, legislative or judiciary branches.

Minister Randazzo acted on President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s orders and will file the charges at the Comodoro Py courthouse. The Head of State returned to Buenos Aires shortly before 9 pm to closely monitor the situation, and thus cut her trip to the Rio+20 Summit short.

The teamsters' union demand a 30 percent wage increase, the end of the wage income tax and to salary caps to collect family allowances.